Light-begttlator



A. A. TIRRILL.

LIGHT REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 1919.

1 ,8'76,84;1 Patented May 3, 1921.

FIBl.

WITNESSES INVENTOR crest Fries.

ALLEN A. TIRRILL, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

LIGHT-REGULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 3, 1921.

Application filed May 14, 1919. Serial No. 297,004.

- To all whom it may concern lators, of which the following is aspecificalighting system including the graduated retion;

This invention relates to regulators or controllers for electric lightsand more particularly to regulators for controlling the brilliantly ofthe light and the main objects of the invention are to provide simpleeasily operated regulators by means of which the brilliancy of the headlights of the vehicle may be varied in a multiple number of stepsbetween minimum and maximum values and the steps determined withoutlooking at the regulator or without noting the brilliancy of the headlights.

Another object is to provide in such a regulator or controller anadjustable stop by means of which the controller switch or blade uponswinging from full brilliancy position to dimposition will be stopped ata predetermined point corresponding to dimmed running position.

Y These, as well as other objects which will readily appear to thoseskilled in this art, I attain in the device described in thespecification and illustrated in the drawings acompanying and forming apart of this application and throughout the several views of which likecharacters denote like elements.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of a device embodying thisinvention, Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the same, Fig. 3 is atop plan view of the de vice with the cover removed, Fig. a is asectional elevation taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 looking in the directionof the arrows, Fig. 5 is a diagram of the electric sistance and theswitch or controller lever and Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view lookingat the contact end of the controller lever and illustrates the same asit appears in connection with one of the contact members or buttons.

The device preferably consists of a circular base 8 of insulatingmaterial such as porcelain on the under side of which a art to provide avariable or graduated resistance. A series of contact members or buttons10 arranged on the arc of a circle are carried by pins 11 which extendthrough the porcelain base and connect up with the resistance coils in awell known manner, and a switch blade 12 having an insulating handle 12is pivotally mounted on a pin 13 secured in the porcelain base and isadapted to make contact with said buttons 10.

Pin 18 is concentrically arranged with relation to the contact buttonsand the switch blade in making its full swing contacts with thedifferent buttons 10 in succession. In swinging from button 10 to 1O theresistance coils are adapted to be gradually placed in circuit and inswinging in the reverse direction they are adapted to be gradually cutout of circuit.

A metal bridge 14: connects contact button 1O with a binding screw 15,and this in turn is adapted to be connected to one side of the headlights'L by means of a wire 16. A metal bridge 17 carried by the basemember connects switch blade 12 to a contact screw 18 which, by means ofa wire 19, con nects with the other side of the headlights through asource of current supply 20. In case the device is used for the controlof the head lights of an automobile or the like one side of the lightsand one side of the circuit supply may be grounded as shown in Fig. 5.

The outer or free end of switch blade 12 is dished or cupped as shown inFig. 6; the curve of the under portion being preferably formed upon asmaller radius than the curve of the upper face of the contact membersor buttons 10. Portion 22 of the switch blade is formed of spring metaland is adjusted so that considerable force is necessary to move theblade from one contact button to the next.

A fixed stop 23 is provided so as to pre vent the switch blade frommoving beyond contact button 10 in one direction and an adjustable stop24 is provided for limiting the movement of the switch blade in theother direction. Stop 24 is carried at one end of a curved member 25which is let into a curved channel 26 formed in the upper face of thebase member, and member 25 is provided with a concentric slot 27 throughwhich an adjustment screw 28 passes. A metal cup 29 surrounds screw 28and may be used for the purpose of sealing the screw againstmanipulation in order to prevent unauthorized adjustment of stop 2d;this may be done by running seal wire through holes in the cup above thescrew and then sealing the ends of the wire or by pouring a sealingmaterial such as solder or wax into the cup above the screw.

Base member 8 is located within a suitable housing made up of a lower ormain c ,pped metal member 30 adapted by means of a suitable bracket, aportion 31 of which is shown, to be secured to the steering column ofthe automobile or the like upon wnich the controller or regulator is tobe used.

The base member is secured within the lower portion of the housing 30 bymeans of screws 32 which pass through suitable slots formed in theperiphery of the base member and which are threaded into inwardlyprojecting feet 33 of bracket members 34 secured to the inner side ofthe housing member 30. These bracket members ext-end above the side ofthe housing member and form supports 35 for a cover 36 for the housing.Screws 37 which pass through the housing are threaded into thesesupports.

Cover 36 is provided with a slot or opening 38 through which handle 12of the switch blade projects. A plate 39 formed of spring material atits outer end. carries a stop pin 40 which projects into the path ofmovement of handle 12. Spring plate 39 is adjustably secured to thecover 36 by means of two screws 41 and 42. These screws pass throughopenings formed in the cover and are threaded into a plate 4:3 whichlies against the inner side of said cover. The opening through whichscrew 12 passes is formed in the nature of a curved slot -14: whichpermits the spring plate to be swung about screw 41 as its pivot.

The plate above stop pin 40 is provided with an enlarged disk shapedmember 45 by means of which the stop pin may be lifted against thestress of the spring plate and out of the path of movement of handle12*. A guard 16 is provided to limit the upward movement of the springplate and this guard is secured in place by means of the screws 41 and42 and therefore moves with the spring plate as it is moved to thedifferent adjusted positions.

The head lights L may either be arranged in parallel, as shown in Fig.5, or in series as is now customary in some lighting arrange ments.

Vith the cont-roller connected in the cir cuit, the brilliancy of thelights may be regulated or controlled from full dimmed adjustment (forstanding) which occurs when the switch blade 12 is in contact with contact button 10 to full brilliancy adjustment when needed, which occurswhen contact blade 12 is in contact with contact button 10 in thislatter position all of the resistance is cut out of circuit while in theformer position it is all in circuit.

In some localities it may be desirable to adjust stop 24 so that thenormal full brilliancy adjustment f the controller may not be reachedand if it is desired to seal stop 24 in this position it may be done bythe means provided. Vhen traveling over unlighted country roads it isdesirable to dim the head lights when passing a vehicle traveling in theopposite direction, this is also desirable when traveling along streetsin cities which are only partially lighted, and, in order to reach theproper dimmed adj ustment quickly, stop 10 will be so positioned thathandle 12 when swinging in a clockwise direction will be stopped at thedesired dimmed adjustment.

lVhile driving, and without observing the amount of light projected bythe head lights, the brilliancy of the head lights may be adjusted toany degree desired (within the capacity of the head lights) and theadjustment ascertained by means of the particular co-relation betweenthe curved contact buttons and the curved end of the switch blades. Thisco-relation provides a means for easily counting the contact buttons asthe blade moves from one to the next across the series. This isparticularly desirable when traveling along most of the modern roadswhich are black and therefore give no indication of the brilliancy ofthe lights to the occupants of the vehicle carrying them.

lt'hen it is desired to move handle 12 to standing position stop pin 40may be lifted out of its path of movement and the handle swung so thatswitch blade 12 contacts with contact button 1O thus throwing the entireresistance into circuit with the head lights. lVhen now it is desired toturn on the lights by cutting out the resistance the handle 12 may befreely swung in the opposite direc tion or with the switch blade movingtoward contact button 10 as the handle is provided with a cam face 17arranged so as to lift the stop pin 40 out of the handles path ofmovement.

If desired this cam face on the handle may be omitted; when it is, itwill be necessary to lift the stop pin to allow movement of the handlein either direction past it and in some localities this construction maybe found desirable as it will afford means for preventing mischievousboys from turning on the full brilliancy of the lights while the vehicleis standing;

Having thus described my invention what I claim is 1. In a controllerfor electric lights, a graduated resistance, a movable member for-arying said resistance, and spring restrained means pivoted to swing inthe path of movement of said member for limiting the movement of thesame in one direction while allowing free movement of said memberpast'the same in the opposite directlon.

2. In a controller for automobile electric lights, a graduatedresistance, a movable memberfor varying the resistance between maximumand minimum values, and a plvotal stop spring held in the path ofmovement of said member and adjustable about its pivot along said path.

3. In a controller for electric lights, a graduated resistance, amovable member for varying the resistance between maximum and minimumvalues, and a spring restrained element movable to different positionsand arranged to limit the movement of said member past the same towardmaximum resistance While allowing free movement of said member towardminimum resistance. r

4. In a controller for automobile electric lights, a graduatedresistance, a movable member for varying the resistance between maximumand minimum values, and a pivoted stop adjustable along and in the pathof movement of said member constructed to be operated to permit saidmember to be moved beyond the same.

5. In a' controller for @IltOIIlObllG electrlc lights, a graduatedreslstance, a movable member for varying the resistance between maximumand minimum values, and a stop adjustable along the path of movement ofsaid member for limiting the movement of said member toward maximumresistance while allowing free movemnt of said member past the sametoward minimum resistance.

6. In a controller for automobile electric lights, a graduatedresistance, a pivotally mounted member for varying the resistancebetween maxlmum and minimum values, and' a stop adjustable along thepath of movement of said member constructed so as to be retained atvarious points in said path to stop movement of said member at adetermined point toward maximum resistance and until said stop ismanually moved from said path while permitting free movement of saidmember past the same in the other direction.

8. In a controller for electric lights, a housing, a graduatedresistance wlthin said housing, a pivotally mounted member extendingfrom said housing for varying the resistance between maximum and minimumvalues, and a manually adjustable stop secured to said housing andprojecting into the path of movement of said member.

9. In a controller for electric lights, an inclosing housing, agraduated resistance within said housing, a pivotally mounted memberextendingthrough said housing and beyond the same and arranged to varythe resistance between maximum and minimum values, and a spring stopsecured to said housing and lying in the path of movement of saidmember.

10. A controller for automobile electric lights comprising a box,variable resistance switch mechanism in the box and provided with amovable operating handle exposed and accessible at the exterior of thebox, and a stop mounted on said box and adjustable to differentpositions along the path of movement of said handle for limiting themovement of the handle in one direction.

11. A controller for automobile electric lights comprisiong a box,variable resistance switch mechanism in the box and provided with amovable operating handle exposed and accessible at the exterior of thebox, and

a stop adjustable to different positions along the path of movement ofsaid handle for limiting the movement of the handle in one direction;said stop being capable of being temporarily and manually moved fromoperative position.

. 12. A controller for automobile electric lights comprising a box andvariable resistance switch mechanism in the box and provided with amovable operating handle exposed and accessible at the exterior of thebox, said box being provided with a stop adjustable along the path ofmovement of said handle for limiting the movement of the handle in onedirection, said stop being spring held in operative position, andcapable of being held manually from operative position to permitmovement of the handle to a position behind the stop, said stop formedto spring back to operative position when released.

A controller for electric lights comprising a box having an elongatedslot, variable resistance switch mechanism in the box provided with aswingable switch blade and a series of contact buttons to besuccessively engaged thereby, said blade provided with a switch handleprojecting through and movable in said slot and operative from theexterior of the box, and means for locating and defining the position ofthe handle at which the lights are dimmed to a certain predetermineddegree, said means being adjustable with respect to the path of movementof the handle.

let. A controller 'for electric lights comprising a box, variableresistance switch mechanism within the box and provided with a movableoperating handle accessible at the exterior thereof, means defining theextreme limits of movement of the handle between full brilliancy andextreme dimmed positions, and stop means capable of being adjustedmanually along the path of movement of said handle to define a certainintermediate position of the handle at which the lights will be dimmedto a certain predetermined degree and to permit free movement of thehandle between full brilliancy position and said stop means. 7

15. A controller for electric lights comprising a box, variableresistance switch mechanism within the box and provided with a movableoperating handle at the exterior of the box and having a range ofmovement from a full brilliancy position to an extreme dimmed position,and an intermediate stop for said handle, said stop being adjustablealong the path of movement of said handle and provided with manuallyoperable means for setting the same at the desired adjustment to locatethe position of the handle when the lights are dimmed to a certainintermediate degree.

16. A controller for electric lights comprising a box, variableresistance switch mechanism within the box and provided with a movableoperating handle at the exterior of the box, a stop defining the fullbrilliancy position of the handle, a stop de-.

fining extreme dimmed position of the handle, said mechanism providingvarious intermediate switch contact positions between said stops, and anintermediate stop for said handle provided with a spring sup- 7 portyieldingly maintaining said intermediate stop in the path of the handle,said support capable of being pressed back to remove said stop from thepath of the handle and arranged to spring the stop back to operativeposition on being released, said support being adjustable and providedwith means for setting its stop in the desired position in the path ofthe handle, said handle formed to automatically displace said stopagainst the tension of its spring support when the handle is being movedin one direction.

17. In a controller for automobile electric lights, a graduatedresistance, a movable member for varying the resistance between maximumand minimum values, a stop adjustable along the path of movement of saidmember for limiti the movement of the same in one direction and a secondstop adjustable along the path of movement of said member constructed tobe operated to permit said member to be moved beyond the same in bothdirections.

18. In a controller for automobile electric lights, a graduatedresistance, a movable member for varying the resistance between maximumand minimum values, a stop adjustable along the path of movement of saidmember for limiting the movement of the same toward maximum value and asecond stop adjustable along the path of movement of said memberconstructed to be manually operated to permit said member to be movedbeyond the same.

19. In a controller for automobile electric lights, a graduatedresistance, a pivotally mounted blade for varying the resistance betweenmaximum and minimum values, a stop adjustable along the path of movementof said blade for limiting the movement of the same toward maximum valueand asecond stop adjustable along the path of movement of said bladeconstructed to be operated to permit the same to be moved beyond saidstop in both directions.

20. In a controller for automobile electric lights, a graduatedresistance, contact members connected to said resistance, arranged onthe arc of a circle and provided with rounded contact heads, and apivotally mounted member provided with a dished contact surface forengaging said rounded heads.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 9th day ofMay,

ALLEN A. TIRRILL.

